Horizons
by 4NeverMore
Summary: The story of those who were most closely affected by Hades and Persephone. A struggle between darkness and light, wisdom and strength, and the ground in between.
1. Another World

Author's Note:

Hello! Thank you all for taking the time to read this story. All feedback is greatly appreciated, as it's my first work. I tried to do something a little less common than the usual Hades and Persephone story, so it makes some leaps and there may be a few historical inadequacies. Feel free to point them out, I love to learn. Enjoy! 

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><p><strong>HORIZONS<strong>

Hecate couldn't sleep. She rolled over on to her side and gazed out the window. The bright moon of the Underworld threw light into her room, and it glistened off the mirror precariously propped in the corner. All was still in the palace. After spending a few minutes like this, she sighed and crawled out of bed.

_ Maybe a bath would do her good?_

She opened the ornate door and walked into the dimly lit room. She let her nightwear fall to the ground and slowly stepped into the bath. "No need to fetch for a servant," she muttered under her breath, "I don't really need help anyways." The hot water enveloped her, and she sat. Her eyes traced the tall black columns with the golden trim all the way up the ceiling where they became one with a high, vaulted ceiling peaking in a skylight. She had specifically asked for this when the palace was being built, and Hades thought it was such a good idea he had all the baths outfitted with it. She stared into the deep black sky, glimmering with thousands of tiny lights. It almost seemed that the sky went on forever, but she knew above her was the mortal world, and Olympus above that.

Unfortunately, nights like this were nothing out of the ordinary for her, many times she was not graced with sleep.

_ Ironic, _she thought, _considering Hypnos, the one responsible for sleep, resided in the Underworld as well._

She'd approached him about it before many times, but nothing changed. Squinting her slightly bloodshot eyes, she jokingly swore to herself she'd put a curse on him. She climbed out of the bath, her dark red her flowing down to her waist. She donned a cloak, and climbed out the window of her room and dropped softly onto the path below to make sure she didn't wake anyone.

She loved walking around the Underworld. Despite the fact that she had lived here for as long as she could remember, it never got old to her. Walking the same paths provided never ending entertainment and wonder. She let her mind wander as she walked. She didn't have a destination in mind, and she didn't really care.

She drifted aimlessly for hours, but all of a sudden she was dragged back to reality by a cold, sharp voice from behind her. "Isn't it a little late to be out walking, dear?" She whirled around to she a pair of icy blue eyes staring back at her. She jumped back, slightly started, but regained her composure when she identified their owner. "Nyx! You startled me! Good..." The Goddess of night let out a small laugh. "Morning, Hecate. Morning." Hecate looked East and saw the first rays of the sun breaking the hills. _How long had she been walking?!_ Nyx stared with her for a few seconds, then joked, "One of these days I'll have to tell Hades to put bars on the palace windows to keep you and Persephone from getting out so much." The Witch Goddess giggled, "I can't help it! It's just too beautiful out here." Nyx smiled. "I can't argue with that... You had better run along to be back in time for breakfast!" Hecate did as she was told, waving back behind her at Nyx, who flashed her a motherly smile. As she ran, her hair blew out behind her, and her pale skin shone in the early morning light. She couldn't help but let a small grin cross her lips. It slowly grew into a full smile, and she laughed out loud as she ran.

Despite her best efforts, by the time she burst into the dining hall, everyone else was already seated. All eyes fell on her as she rushed in, out of breath. She took her seat to the left of Hades, and when she looked up she was met with smiles from Charon, Thanatos, and others.

_Why did people think all the underworld deities were so hostile?_

As everyone else went back to their own conversations and eating, the King of the Underworld, Hades, and his wife, Persephone, both leaned over to talk to her. "If you're going to be going on anymore late night adventures, at least invite me!" said the Queen, giggling. Persephone was still a young girl at heart. Her auburn curls brought out her beautiful emerald eyes, and the deep purple dress she was wearing complemented her milky complexion. It was at that moment Hecate realized she was still wearing her cloak.

_I look so plain next to her..._

Hades jarred her from her thoughts. "Hecate, I have a favor to ask you after breakfast," he said, sipping on a chalice of ambrosia. "Yes, my lord," she quickly replied. She wolfed down her food, and rushed to check on her dogs. They happily barked when they saw her, and she returned a meek smile. She promptly ran to her chambers, returning quick responses to the nymphs she passed on the way who tried to talk to her.

Once she arrived, she slammed the door. _What is wrong with me? Why am I so edgy all of a sudden?_

She convinced herself it was the lack of sleep, and dressed herself in a black chiton with red trim. As she walked out into the hallway, Persephone waltzed by, and all in one motion, placed a beautiful white flower in her hair. She continued to dance down the long hallway dropping pedals as she went, singing a happy tune. Her light airy voice echoed off the walls. Hecate smiled slightly. She remembered how terrified the Goddess of Spring was when she first arrived at the palace. She was the only one who Persephone would talk to at first. The two had slowly become best friends, and Persephone had slowly grown to love it here.

She walked to Hades' study where she found him focused on something on his desk. He looked up at her and smiled warmly. His dark eyes met her deep purple ones. "Thank you for coming Hecate. Please, take a seat."

_His voice... no matter how many times she heard it... it always startled her a bit. It was low, clear, and conveyed power..._

"What do you need from me, my lord?" He stopped what he was doing and gave her his full attention. "Zeus has called a meeting of the Gods and Goddesses, and I'm too busy with work to make a trip to Olympus. I was hoping you'd be able to go in my stead? Just to represent the interests of the Underworld."

_This wasn't an offer, it was a command. She knew him well._

"Aye, it's an honor. I'll depart immediately." the Witch Goddess replied. He smiled warmly. "Thank you Hecate. There's no rush, the meeting isn't till tonight. Perhaps Persephone would like to join you on your trip?" Hecate blinked slowly, a small half smile appearing on her lips. "I'll see. If so, I'll try to keep her away from Demeter. We wouldn't want her to try to snatch her back, now would we?"

Hades' dark eyes showed no emotion, but she could tell he was uncomfortable. _It was so easy to mess with him!_

Before he had a chance to reply, she darted out of the room. "No, we most certainly would not..." Hades growled to a now empty room.


	2. Memories

Author's Note: Really quick Chapter 2! I probably won't keep up this pace, but I really wanted to get this story off the ground. I appreciate all the feedback I've gotten, it means a ton! As long as you all keep reading, I'll keep writing!

Also, for anyone who was confused: Hecate is the Goddess of Witchcraft and Crossroads. She lives in the Underworld, and in most stories I've read she is one of Hades' closest friends. I thought she'd be a great character to develop. If you have any other questions, leave a review or send me a PM!

_Italicized text _represents thoughts of one of the main characters. I'll do my best to make it obvious who is thinking what.

Enjoy Chapter 2! 

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><p>There was truly no sight on Earth quite like the gardens of Olympus. Green vines snaked all over the open air building, budding with fragrant flowers of all shapes and sizes. That being said, Apollo could not see them. He had been lazily sleeping in the gardens all afternoon. This attracted the attention of many passing deities, who got a laugh at his expense. It did not matter to him though, he wanted to be well rested for the important meeting later.<p>

However, his twin sister, Artemis, had other plans for him. She had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of her lifelong friend, Persephone, who was finally in Olympus. Now that the two were finally together, they wanted to make the most of their time. And unfortunately for Apollo, that was at his expense. The Goddesses quietly crept up, and Persephone placed a chalice of water on a branch above Apollo's head. The Goddess of the Hunt, Artemis, drew her bow, and let an arrow fly. It whizzed through the air, and found its mark. The cup lazily stood on the branch for a second, then it tipped, seemingly in slow motion. The water hit Apollo first, and he sat up, extremely startled. He looked up, only to see the metal chalice dropping right for his head. Miraculously, he caught it. Soaked and extremely upset, he looked to see his aggressors. He locked eyes with his sister, who could not contain her laughter. His blue eyes burned with rage and locked with her soft, brown ones. _Any fate was better than to suffer to humiliation, especially humiliation to his twin sister. _He stood and began to move towards her, his fists clenched in rage.

"Woah, woah, woah! What are you doing there, little brother?" she gasped out between fits of laughter. _She never missed an opportunity to rub that in. She was only a few seconds older..._

"Why, you little..." he began, but paused when he saw her companion. Those emerald eyes...

He remembered it all too well. _The first time he laid eyes on her, he knew she was something special. He'd been subjected to so much pressure from all the other Olympians about finding a wife. Could she be the one? As he began to court her, his feelings for her continued to grow. That one night, sitting on the cliff overlooking the city of Athens... those emerald eyes... when she said she felt the same way... All that he had to do was get her parents permission to marry her. Zeus happily consented. Her mother, Demeter... not so. Her scorching glare when he asked her gave him an answer before a word left her lips. She angrily rejected him, saying no one would ever have her daughter. Heartbroken, he wanted to explain to her why they could not be together. He knew she would cry, but at least he'd be there for her. It was strange how at that moment all he wanted was to be able to be with her when she heard the bad news. But it was not meant to be so. That night Demeter whisked her away to that far removed cabin where no one other than his sister and Athena could visit..._

_ Then he heard the news. Hades had kidnapped the Goddess of Spring and taken her to the Underworld. He was furious. All that he had done for her... To try to win her... And he could just steal her? At the trial, he remembered the pure hatred he felt at Hades stone cold expression. How he would have liked nothing more than to have her back... Then, at Hephaestus' wedding... How happy she and Hades looked together, and how they had danced. He had felt such jealousy when he saw them kiss. That night, he could have danced with almost any girl in the room. But it didn't matter, they weren't her. He had left early that evening, feeling nothing but sadness and emptiness inside. As for their wedding? He did not attend. It was all the talk of Olympus for days to follow, and not wanting to hear any, he retired to his room. Even Artemis, who loved nothing more than to bother him, showed concern at this new behavior. He dismissed her and all the others who commented on it. He was not one to publicly express his feelings. Only one Goddess ever seemed to know... Athena looked on him with such a sad expression. She knew she was a major reason Persephone was with Hades and not him. How did she always seem to know?_

But that was long ago. He was over her now._ Right?_

He quickly realized the sad, longing look in his eyes, and corrected back to his usual, reserved self. Brushing aside an errant lock of golden hair, he stared down his twin. "Be ready for the meeting tonight," he growled, not even acknowledging Persephone. He stormed away.

"He isn't much fun," complained Persephone.

"Sometimes I have no idea how we're related," commented Artemis. She quickly cheered up. "Come with me now, Persephone! There's so much to be done!"

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><p>Hecate did not go directly to Olympus. In fact, she tried to spend as little time as possible in that wretched place. All the Olympians besides a few were self absorbed, and it seemed all they cared for was power. And as for some of the Gods... their methods of bedding females were questionable, at best.<p>

_Hades wasn't like that. He was different. That's why she liked him so much. And she knew he'd be the best for Persephone. Lucky her._

Every God and Goddess had a city dedicated to them. Hers was nothing extravagant like Athena's city Athens or Poseidon's city Corinth. No, hers was more of a village. A small coastal fishing village named Madissia. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful place, and she loved it there. Wearing a hooded cloak over her chiton, she sat on a cliff overlooking the village and the sprawling Aegean Sea. She sat in silence and her thoughts overwhelmed her.

_It was strange. She had been so happy when Hades had met Persephone. She had been so happy when Persephone moved in. She had been so happy when they got married. But... on that warm summer evening when the God of Death and the Goddess of Spring were married, she felt something else... she couldn't put a finger on it. Sadness was as close as she could guess. Not full on sadness. It was more of a feeling hidden in the back of her mind. But it was always there. Always trying to break free..._

A thick fog had begun to roll in over Madissia. Starting on the coast, the tiny rooftops began to disappear one by one into fog and dark.

_Hades' palace was so lonely sometimes. Before that girl came, she was Hades best friend. She was never alone. But now... things were different. She was second best in his eyes now._

What was she thinking? She was glad to have Persephone. The moon's soft beams breaking the horizon on the Aegean Sea illuminated a single tear in her violet eye.

She quickly wiped the tear from her eye._ She never had feelings for Hades. She still didn't. She was happy. And she was happy for them. _"Pull it together, Hec..." she muttered to herself. "You've got a job to do." She began to walk slowly towards Olympus, dreading the upcoming evening. Her cloak billowed out behind her in the wind.

A storm was brewing. 

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><p>Author's Note: Chapter 3 is shaping up to be a long one, but I don't think that should be a problem. I'll try to have it up in the next few days!<p> 


	3. The High Council

Author's Note: Happy New Year everyone! I've been really busy, (Pond Hockey has basically taken over my life) but I'm doing my best to keep up with the story! This chapter ended up being pretty long, but I'm sure that's not really a problem. A lot of important stuff in here, so enjoy!

Also, THANK YOU so much to everyone who reviewed! It means a ton. As for anyone who didn't don't be afraid to!

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><p>The halls of Zeus' grand palace were a sight to behold. Ornate white pillars lined the hallways, which almost seemed to extend forever. Intricate golden patterns and lettering were hand carved into the walls and ceilings, and beautiful sky blue and royal purple banners flapped lazily from the breeze that slowly rolled through huge, arched windows. Outside, the last rays of daytime were slowly fading into darkness over the crests of craggy mountains. The world began to fall asleep.<p>

The scene was much different inside the Grand Courtroom, however. Servants rushed everywhere igniting candles, refilling drinks, and making sure all was ready. As the Olympians began to drift in, all hell broke lose. Each one tried to talk louder and louder in an attempt to drown out the others.

Hecate quietly slid into her seat. _Or rather, _she though, _Hades seat. She didn't want to be here. _She was fully expecting a night of pointless bickering, immaturity and self promotion. _Lucky me._

Her eyes drifted around the room, examining all the other Gods and Goddesses. She spotted Aphrodite, who was clinging to the hand of Ares. Her golden curls framed a perfectly sculpted bronze face, set with soft blue eyes. She was being as flirtatious and provocative as usual, pressing herself against Ares and batting her eyelashes. Obviously, the gravity of the situation hadn't really grasped her. Ares, however, looked very tense and edgy. She rolled her eyes. Aphrodite was an airhead. Right at this moment, Aphrodite looked up and locked eyes with Hecate. The Goddess of Love's face immediately darkened and she grimaced at Hecate, and quickly directed her attention elsewhere.

Hecate heard a soft chuckle and felt a warm hand on her shoulder. "She's probably still upset about that remark you made about her hair a few hundred years ago." Hecate turned around, bearing a warm smile to the figure she already knew was behind her. The voice belonged to none other than the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena. Her soft gray eyes appeared so welcoming.

"Athena, my dear! It's so wonderful to see you!" Hecate cooed. Athena was truly her favorite Overworld Goddess. She was so much more kind and mature than all the others, and she gave off a sense of maturity and knowledge.

"I should say the same for you, Hec," Athena cheerfully replied. "It's been so long since I've seen you!"

"Well, you know how I am," said Hecate, a sly smile crossing her face. "These aren't exactly my type of people. I don't understand how you put up with them every day."

Athena took her seat next to Hecate, shifting uncomfortably in it a bit. "To be frank, I'm not sure how I put up with them either. They're insufferable sometimes. I often just go to the royal library. That's one place you'll never find Ares or Poseidon." They both had a good laugh.

"Say," added Hecate, "How is Glauca doing? I haven't seen that little rascal in ages." Glauca was Athena's pet owl, and an infamous troublemaker on Olympus.

"You know her, up to her usual tricks," smirked Athena. She flew off with Poseidon's trident the other day, I don't think I'd ever seen him so mad!" The thought of the mighty Poseidon being outwitted by a lovable little owl was comical. "I want so see her before I go home, alright Athena?" Athena grinned. "As you wish"

"Attention! Everyone, settle down!" Hermes fluttered around trying to control the crowd. "Attention! Attention!" It was useless. His squeaky little voice could not be heard.

"SILENCE," boomed a much louder voice, shaking the foundations of the courtroom. Everyone became silent immediately. Zeus settled into his seat at the head of the council. Everyone else did the same. All the seats were arranged in a circle around a podium in the middle. Hermes, the messenger God, fluttered up to it. His nasally voice echoed off the walls. "Thank you all for coming to the Council of Olympus..."

That was roughly the point Hecate stopped listening. _Blah blah blah._ Athena nudged her. "You look just as bored as Hades usually does at these meetings," she whispered. Hecate chuckled. _They were so alike, it didn't really surprise her._ She tuned in and out randomly, and whenever she was listening it seemed that it was always some pointless argument or accusation. _It's amazing how well the Overworld is doing considering who was running it. _

But something caught her attention. Ares was not known as a cheerful God, and he was infamous for his short temper. But something seemed very off about him as he stormed up to the podium. His fists were clenched, and he angrily swatted an errant lock of brown hair away from his face, which was flushed and red. The room became suddenly quiet as he stood in the center, silently demanding attention. He quickly broke the silence by slamming his fist on the solid marble stand.

"Olympians..." he growled, "As you all are aware, breaking your word is one of the worst offenses anyone can commit. Dishonestly and cowardice can send a mortal to Tartarus. I'm sure Hades would know about that, but as you all can see, he has not bothered to appear here today." He looked over at Hecate, a smirk on his face. Hecate felt blood rush to her cheeks, and she clenched her fists. _He has a lot of work to do, clearly something you wouldn't know very much about, Ares. _As he looked at her, a look of almost entertainment crossed his face for a split second. That had gotten the reaction he'd wanted. Quickly he returned to his furious composure.

"But, I digress. It has recently come to my attention that despite a prior agreement, the city state of Athens has refused to lend Sparta a sum of money. I'm here to notify a certain Goddess that if she does not exercise control over her City State..." his voice dropped to the point that it was barely audible, "there will be grave consequences."

Every pair of eyes in the room fell on Athena. She slowly stood. She addressed the room, remaining as calm and collected as always. "A Spartan spy threatened, extorted, and tricked our king into signing that agreement. It is null and void, and Athens will not pay anything. We do not fear you, and we ask that you negotiate peacefully."

"Peacefully? I know not such a word," scoffed Ares. "If we do not have the money within a month," he continued, "there will be war. Take heed." They both sat again.

_Ugh. There was finally some excitement, and it was already gone. Nothing else interesting is going to happen. _Or so Hecate thought...

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><p>Apollo couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was used to Ares causing disruptions in the councils, and the God of War's short temper didn't surprise him. But threatening Athena? Really? Now he was just trying to start a war.<p>

He leaned back and stretched. _I've got better things to do than be here... _As Ares began to return to his seat, Apollo let out an audible sigh of relief, earning a snicker from his sister and a murderous scowl from Ares. _If looks could kill..._

His eyes lazily darted around the room. Dionysus was absolutely wasted, but that wasn't much of a surprise. It didn't matter how important an event was, or how formal, or who was attending, you could always count on Dionysus to be drunk. As his eyes continued to jump around, he noticed that Hestia seemed to be the only one actually listening at this point, that Poseidon had already left and that Aphrodite was reaching for Ares'...

His eyes snapped forward. _Disgusting._ _What was that Ares was saying? Hades wasn't here or something like that? He really hated Hades... _He looked towards Hades' seat. _Zeus would never allow him to miss..._

His thought died immediately. Sitting in the Lord of the Dead's seat was a young woman unlike any he'd ever seen before. She had extremely pale skin, almost as white as the moon itself, and without a blemish on it. At first he thought her long, straight hair was a deep brown, but as she turned her head it flashed out and caught the moonlight, revealing its true reddish hue. A matte black chiton with dark red trim covered a perfectly shaped body. But her most striking features were her two violet eyes, set into her head like precious stones into the Earth. He inhaled sharply.

_She was beautiful. All Gods and Goddesses were blessed with good appearances, but she was a cut above... he'd only ever looked at one girl this way before. He had to know her name._

Then, unexpectedly, she sharply looked up and locked eyes with him. He was paralyzed. _Not with fear, no. Something else._

They kept staring, neither wanting to back down. He noticed the corners of her lips beginning to curl up, ever so slightly, into a small smile. It was just then he became aware his own face was doing the same. _How long had they been like this? A minute? Five? Ten? He didn't care._

The pounding of Zeus' gavel stirred him back to reality. "And so," he boomed, "that concludes this council. Thank you all for attending. You are dismissed."

He quickly looked back at her. She was well on her way to the door, but all of a sudden, looked back. Their eyes met again. She flashed that little half smile he had already grown to love, and winked at him. Before he could fully process what had just happened, she had disappeared into the night.

_He had to know her name... _

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><p>Hecate yawned. She immediately realized her mistake, and slapped her hands to cover her mouth. <em>No one had noticed. Good. Just a bit longer and she'd be free.<em>

She propped her head up with her hand and stared out the window at the night sky. She thought back to nights on the roof of the palace back home with Hades. _"We see the same sky as everyone in the Overworld" he'd once said. "All those tiny lights are stars, and if you look closely they're arranged into shapes..." She hadn't really been listening, she was more just overwhelmed and amazed at the the vastness of the sky..._

All of a sudden, a shooting star streaked through the dark past the window. _Hades had said something about a mortal superstition with shooting stars... What was it?... Making a wish?_

All of a sudden, she felt something... almost like a pair of eyes fixed on her. She didn't know how, but when she looked back, she looked directly at the man who was staring her down.

_He was handsome. His skin was tan, but not too tan. His curly golden hair hung down over his forehead a little bit, and his soft blue eyes had a look of longing in them. Cute. And he looked so strong... _She bit her lip a little, and couldn't stop a mischievous smile from dancing across her face. He did the same. They stayed like this for a while, getting lost in each others eyes.

Hecate didn't even notice Zeus had ended the meeting, but felt a sharp tug on her back from Athena. "Come on Hec, you still want to see Glauca, don't you?"

_She did... But..._

As she reluctantly walked towards the door, she twisted her head around to try to get one final glance at him. Their eyes met again, and she winked at him. As she and Athena stepped out into the cool Grecian night, Hecate turned to her. "Athena..." she asked, "You know all the Olympians, don't you?"

"Of course I do," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason!" Hecate smiled innocently.

_Who was he?_


End file.
